Our humanitarian response to the Cyclone Ana
Story by Jakob Falk and Jonas Thrane
In late January 2022, the passage of the Cyclone Ana affected Southern Africa heavily. In Zimbabwe alone at least 3.000 people were affected by heavy rains and flooding. Many lost their livelihood, people’s homes were damaged, and we saw an acute need of access to safe drinking water and basic health services. This cyclone is yet another blunt reminder that the climate crisis is very much a reality.
One of Dreamtown’s strategic goals is to respond to humanitarian crises in the places where we work. Together with our partners in Zimbabwe Justice for Children, Chiedza Community Welfare Trust and Nyanga Community Development Trust, we responded to this acute humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe’s Manicaland Province with the support from the Danish Emergency Relief Fund (DERF).
A map showing the location of our intervention. The Manicaland Province was badly affected by Cyclone Ana. Especially the Mutasa and Nyanga districts, where we focused our efforts. Both districts are mountanious with long distances between households requiring many resources for implementation and monitoring the progress of the project.
A woman-headed household with a newly renovated family house (with support from the project) and their traditional house damaged by Cyclone Ana (photo taken September 16 2022)
WHAT HAVE WE ACHIEVED?
Based on our recent field visit it is clear that with the humanitarian response we have met people’s essential needs and prepared them for future cyclones.
We had a highly ambitious project, but managed to meet our objectives within a short amount of time (March-October 2022). There are many reasons for this. First, we responded quickly to people’s essential needs. Immediately after the cyclone hit, people received funds, livestock and agricultural inputs so they were able to carry on with their lives. In parallel with meeting these essential needs, we started the process of renovating and constructing houses, water wells, toilets and provided access to health services and legal aid. Second, we involved the communities closely in the project implementation. In our field visit we saw with our own eyes how people in the communities have supported and helped each other. Third, we managed to avoid conflicts between people, because our partners are strongly rooted in the communities of Mutasa and Nyanga and used an open door policy allowing everyone to voice their frustrations, needs and concerns.
Group photo of the team before heading out to visit the affected communities of Nyanga (photo taken September 15 2022)
One of the 29 newly built or renovated houses (photo taken September 15 2022)
Inspecting one of the newly repaired water wells (photo taken September 16 2022)
On our way in the beautiful rocky landscape of Nyanga (photo taken September 15 2022)
AFFECTED PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITIES
Our two-day field visit made a big impression on us. Many of the people we met are still traumatized and affected by the shock of the cyclone. Still, it was uplitifting to see that with the help provided, many of them have managed to quickly get back on their feet and taken a path to sustain a living for the future.
A gathering of some of the inhabitants of the Nyanga District explaining to us how they have used the support from the project (photo taken September 15 2022)
Woman with some of the chickens that she has bred from the cash transfer she received (photo taken September 16 2022)
Below just a couple of examples of some of the inspiring and moving encounters we had with people in the communities.
Two chickens have turned into 24. We met an elderly woman who has used the cash from the project to buy two chickens. These two chickens have now multiplied into 24 chickens, and her business plan is to sell these at the local market. In her own words, she took the risk of buying livestock instead of food to make sure that she has an ongoing income. In this way she can provide for herself and the surrounding households in her small village.
Feeling human for the first time. A man told us the story of how he lost his wife in the aftermath of the cyclone just as they were trying to rebuild their lives after their house was destroyed. To receive help from the project he needed to register and receive identification papers. In addition, he received help with building a new house. When we met him, he was deeply moved and told us that due to the support from the project he feels like a human being for the first time in his life.